Architect and measurer, of Dublin. Samuel Johnston entered the Dublin Society's School of Drawing in Architecture on 6 March 1790. He was admitted a freeman of the City of Dublin as a member of the Corporation of Carpenters by Grace Especial at Midsummer 1804. In 1808 he submitted designs in the competition for the new Custom House at Cork, and from 1815 or earlier until 1818 or later he was Surveyor of Buildings to the Revenue Commissioners. It was presumably during these years that he made the set of plans of the Custom House in Dublin which were reproduced as engravings. An undated elevation of 'new stone houses' at Sligo in the National Library of Ireland by 'Sam Johnston' may also be his. By 1820 he had been succeeded by JOHN EDWARD DAVIS. JOHN EDWARD DAVIS.
Johnston exhibited several architectural designs with the Society of Artists of Ireland in Dublin between 1801 and 1811. These included a design for the House of Recovery and a design for Nelson's Pillar. He was a subscriber to William Stitt's The Practical Architect's Ready Assistant; or Builder's Complete Companion (Dublin, 1819).
Addresses: 3 Clarence Street, North Strand, Dublin, <=1801->=1802; North Clarence Street, 1805; 10 Caroline Row, 1806-1820.
See WORKS.
References
MS. transcript from Royal Dublin Society minutes of School of Architectural Drawing admissions and prizewinners (in IAA).
'An alphabetical list of the Freemen of the City of Dublin, 1774-1824', The Irish Ancestor XV (1983), Nos. 1 & 2, 71.
Drawings, signed and dated 'Samuel Johnston, Archit, 1808' in IAA, Murray Collection, nos. 254-259 (see Murray Collection catalogue, 110-111).
Letter(?) in NA/SPO CSORP 1829/9067 states that Johnston was architect to the Commissioners of Revenue for 23 years (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44); however Whitmore Davis seems to have held this post until 1811 and John Edward Davis from 1820. Possibly Johnston had worked previously for the Commissioners in the capacity of assistant.
Copies in IAA and NLI.
NLI AD 2621.
The designs are listed in IALE I, 364, as follows: 'Design for a public building' (1801, no. 98); 'Design for the House of Recovery' (1802, no. 21); 'Design for Nelson's Pillar' (1809, no. 42); 'Design for a Church at Kilrush, Co. Clare' (1811, nno. 22); 'Design for Offices at Kilrush, for the Rt. Hon. John Ormsby Vandeleur'.
From IALE, loc. cit., above, and Wilson's Dublin Directory.
6 work entries listed in chronological order for JOHNSTON, SAMUEL
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| Building: |
CO. CORK, CORK, CUSTOM HOUSE QUAY, CUSTOM HOUSE |
| Date: |
1808 |
| Nature: |
Unsuccessful competition entrant. |
| Refs: |
Drawings, signed and dated 'Samuel Johnston, Archit, 1808' in IAA, Murray Collection, nos. 254-259 (see Murray Collection catalogue, 110-111)
|
| Building: |
CO. CLARE, KILRUSH, CHURCH (CI) |
| Date: |
1811 |
| Nature: |
SJ exhibits design for church at Society of Arts of Ireland in 1811 (no. 192). (Lewis says church, 'a large edifice with an embattled tower crowned with pinnacles', was built in 1813. |
| Refs: |
ALEI, I, 364
|
| Building: |
CO. CLARE, KILRUSH HOUSE |
| Date: |
1811 |
| Nature: |
SJ exhibits designs for offices for John Ormsby Vandeleur at Society of Artists of Ireland in 1811 (no. 192) |
| Refs: |
ALEI, I, 364
|
